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The Queue: BlixCon 2011

Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Mike Sacco will be your host today.

Who else is pumped for BlixCon 2011? I know, I know, it's hard to believe that it's been an entire year since the last convention celebrating the life and works of former U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix.

S.O. asked:

Forgive me if this awesome been answered. The previous BlizzCons alternated between August and October but this year its October again. Why and is this a permanent change?

Well, there's obviously the matter of when the space at the convention center is available, but there's more to it than that. I can't speak for Blizzard, but I'd imagine the train of thought goes something like this: "We have several unannounced or unreleased projects. When can we feasibly have enough new information, art assets, and tech to fill a convention hall with each of them?" That date happened to be August one year and October two other years. I'd imagine it also works in reverse for certain projects, too: "We need to have this project ready for public viewing by August/October/whatever." Basically, BlizzCon functions as a kind of development milestone, and I wouldn't read too much into the date.

SlimPickens42 asked:

With Blizzard selling the Cenarion Hatchling (originally a TCG pet) on the pet store, and Lil' KT and Lil' XT (originally pet store) in the TCG, are there any rumors about more intermingling between the two? I'd love the chance to buy some of the TCG items (even if their recolored or something to differentiate) from the Blizzard store.

Well, now you jerks can get an armored version of my awesome Blazing Hippogryph via the new quest hub. I don't think we're allowed to use emoticons in our posts, but if we were, there would be a mad face here!

Cetha asked:

When did Thrall get a name change? How did he come by Go'el?

Greatmother Geyah (his grandmother) told him his true name when they met in Nagrand. Thrall was a name given to him by Lord Blackmoore, the human who kept him enslaved at a young age. It's being thrown around more because Aggra hates it, since it means "slave." Thrall even mentions that fact himself in the Elemental Bonds quest.

Josh asked:

If I do my new Hyjal dailies faithfully, how long is the event from beginning to completely unlocked end? Is it a few weeks? Or are we talking, last all the way to Patch 4.3? I want them pets!

I believe it was mathed out to be 23 days to unlock the entire hub.

DragonFireKai asked:

What are your thoughts on the Chinese guild Stars using the Faction Transfer service to circumvent the heroic lockouts on Firelands and beat every other guild in the world to the punch on Heroic Shannox?

Some people are of the belief that raid progression is extremely important. If the members of Stars think that it's important enough for 25+ people to spend $30 each to get a new raid lockout, then more power to them, I guess. You know that all that'll come of this is that the top guilds will invent a distinction between "world-first heroic Shannox" and "world-first heroic Shannox without paying around $750."

Spood asked:

Does the new legendary staff need Eternal Embers like the quest says, or does it take Living Embers like the crafting? a guildy and I argued about it, and can't come to an agreement.I dont think it makes much sense to have an item drop from a boss thats used to make the legendary and other craftables without it being purchaseable. Thanks

The legendary uses Eternal Embers, not Living Embers.

Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW Insider crew is here with The Queue, our daily Q&A column. Leave your questions in the comments, and we'll do our best to answer 'em!